Animal Minds

Dreaming cats and dogs? Did you know ...

2011-12-21T05:56:00.000-08:00

As our pets seem to settle down at night and wake up with us in the morning it is tempting to assume that they must sleep the same way as we do, surely?

There are indeed similarities in sleep between cats and dogs with us humans, but there are also huge differences that can become significant when our animals are stressed.

Why do we need to sleep? Sleep has two key functions one can be termed sleep of the body and the other sleep of the mind. The sleep of the mind happens during a stage of sleep termed REM or ‘dreaming’ sleep. In cats and dogs, this dreaming sleep happens when they are lying on their side with legs stretched out. Breathing and heart rate may change and rapid eye movement is observed (hence the name of this type of sleep!) It is this stage that is essential for processing the events of the day, learning is consolidated.

Dogs need at least 12 hours sleep each day, cats at least 16 hours a day!

Studies show that unlike cats, dogs have about 23 bouts of sleep/wake cycles, lasting about 20 minutes over each 8 hour night. Each cycle consists of about 16 minutes of sleep and 5 minutes fully awake. Also, groups of dogs show unsynchronised sleep/wake cycles. This means that in the wild, one or two dogs will always be alert while the others sleep and so able to watch for danger. Clever really!

The same studies also looked at the effect of moving cats and dogs to new locations - how does rehoming or moving house for example, affect the sleep patterns of our pets? They found that all the cats and dogs studied failed to achieve REM sleep on the first night and the length of sleeping bouts halved. Another interesting observation was in dogs that slept close to their owners were observed to go straight into REM sleep, indicating that they were secure and fully relaxed.

Animal in as their ability to cope with a new home is affected by poor sleep.
Just like us, if we have had a bad nights sleep, we less able to take in new information and adapt to a different situations. This is the same for our animals, whether we want our new cat to learn about the cat flap or settle quickly in their new home, or wanting our dog to learn the ‘sit’ and ‘wait’ quickly, we need to make sure they have had a good nights sleep.

So with research in mind here are a few handy hints to improve the sleeping patterns of your cat or dog, whether he or she is new into the home or not ...

FOR CATS ...

A choice of bedding kept away from food bowls or litter trays
A variety of ‘hideaways’ (cardboard boxes are sufficient)
A variety of high up spaces for the cat to ‘hide’ and feel safer
Bed spaces that are large enough for stretching out
Warn spots (hot water bottles wrapped in fleece blankets or special ‘heat pads’)
Remember you will need the above per cat in the home.

FOR DOGS ...

Make sure the bed is large enough for the dog to lie flat out
Keep the bed in a quieter area of the home
Keep the bed away from radiators, fridges,freezers, washing machines as these can all disturb sleep cycles
If your dog isn’t using your bed, think about why this is happening; is it the location, bed type, disturbing objects that are interfering in your dogs sleep?

Remember at least 70% of behaviour problems are darastically decreased by improving our animals' sleep patterns! Happy dreaming!

Katie Bristow-Wade

References

Empson, J (2002) "Sleep and dreaming" Palgrave, Great Britain

Adams, G and Johnson, K (1993) "Sleep wake cycles and other night-time behaviours of the domestic dog Canis familiaris" Applied Animal Behavour Science, 36: 233-48

Simpson, H (2008) "Teach yourself dog" NAC Library, Carmarthen

Mutually beneficial relationships

2011-04-21T11:51:00.000-07:00

With the stresses and strains of everyday life more and more people are noticing the potential positive affects that animals can bring to adults and children alike.

As pet owners, we know that when we have had a bad day at the office, there is nothing better than being greeted by our animals. Whether we are riding our horses, walking the dog, or just cuddling up on the sofa with the cat, there is an increasing amount of research indicating the true value that our pets have on our health and well being.

There are various ways that animals can help people, and it is categorized in so many different ways - Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT ) , Animal Assisted Activity (AAA), Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI) .... the list goes on.Essentially, with all the above, the aim is to bring an animal into the world of an individual, where he/she becomes a fundamental part of a person's treatment. It is designed to improve the physical, social, emotional, and/or cognitive functioning of the patient, as well as provide education, build life skills, and develop motivation.

To give you an example, a child with autism may be finding it difficult to cope in a world as it can seem extremely unpredictable and therefore frightening at times. This often causes a child to breakdown (having what is often called a “tantrum” or “meltdown”.

Now, I could go on about the research involved in this area, how it is thought that dogs help children affected by autism, but as I have been involved in a project of this kind, I would rather mention the firsthand accounts as to how dogs provide comfort and reassurance, really changing the lives of these children and families so dramatically in such a short space of time.I have witnessed the transformation of a 12 year old girl affected by autism, very withdrawn, terrified of leaving the home, simply through the presence of a dog, she became more confident, learning how to care for the dog and understand its own potential fears, and overcame her own anxieties over time.

I have also experienced a boy of 7 years old talking for the first time, he first day that his puppy arrived at the home, that motivation to speak to a person that is non-judgment.This is wonderful, the building of positive relationships between person and animal for improved health and well being. Indeed, this is an area that is fast developing within the UK, and will increase in time.

However, it is vital that these relationships are positive for all involved, both the person and the animal. We do not want stressed animals - whether in the form of a horse who is fearful of people, a cat that is stressed being passed from pillar to post, or a dog that may snap at any moment. We want animals who are full of character, feel confident in themselves, and positive about the world.

So perhaps this area is not as simple as it sounds after all? It is not a matter of simply paring an animal with a person and hoping that it goes to plan, its about raising confident animals in positive environments, to build truly therapeutic relationships between people and animals for the future.

Vote now! Equine Social Media Awards 2011

2011-01-29T11:48:00.000-08:00

Hi all

As some of you may already know, I have been nominated for the 2011 Equine Social Media Awards.

Voting is now open, and it's up to you guys to decide who wins. Click here to vote http://abbeyviewequine.com/awards I am listed under 'Category 5'

Feel free to contact me directly if you have any queries at all.

Take care

Katie

www.animalminds.co.uk

Group session with Katie

2010-09-10T04:38:00.000-07:00

A unique opportunity to discuss the behavioural problems of your cats with Katie. Information Evening 21st September at the Oxford Cat Clinic www.oxfordcatclinic.co.uk

Factsheet: What do our cats really need?

2010-05-26T04:47:00.000-07:00

So many behavioural problems stem from relatively simple sources. Katie B Wade provides a summary of what our cats should be doing each day in order to stay fit, healthy and happy.

Evolving over millions of years, our cats have developed specific strategies, behaving in certain ways each day, to maintain optimal health.

The more restrictions our cats face, the more stressed they can become, so to avoid stress-related difficulties such as urination or defecation in the home, over-grooming, aggression and so on, have a quick read and see what you can do for your cat.

Evolutionary biologists have traced the cat family to a squirrel-like creature surviving amongst the trees alongside dinosaurs. Even today we can see the domestic cat’s preference for higher vantage points.

The feline family originally evolved in hot, dessert climates such as Egypt. In our Northern Hemisphere many of domestic cats suffer as a result of the lower temperatures, not maintaining high quality REM sleep patterns as they remain curled up.

As cats are territorial they are highly sensitive to changes in their environment. The domestic cat therefore is often motivated to communicate the boundaries on the periphery of their territory, through spray marking, scratching and defecation.

Cats are successful small hunters. Their bodies are made to eat a variety of chewy meats little and often.

Cats do not just scratch to maintain their claws, they also scratch to deposit scent from the glands on their paws to communicate. Experts have discovered that the cat has a strong need to scratch both horizontally and vertically each day. Cats use glands situated around their bodies to communicate through chemical messengers.

Although cats hunt alone, they are a highly social species and live in large colonies where there are plenty of resources. In the wild it is even common to see queens nursing each others young!

The cats’ skin cells are very sensitive to touch. They need soft, cosy bedding for essential, quality sleep. Cats need to sleep for at least 18 hours per day, and need to be able to lie flat out.

For any extra reading, advice or just for a chat, feel free to contact me anytime.

Take care

Katie

www.animalminds.co.uk
katie@animalminds.co.uk

________________________________________________________________________________________

BIO

Katie B Wade is a fully qualified and experienced animal behaviourist, working alongside veterinary clinics, rescue centres, societies, breeders as well as individual owners to assist with various aspects of animal behaviour and training. With professional experience handling, training, breeding and rehabilitating the competition horse, Katie went on to study a degree in Psychology and then on to specialise in Equine Behaviour with The Natural Animal Centre. Katie provides scientifically sound advice to the general public, building a bridge between academic research and practical horse ownership.

Katie B Wade

www.animalminds.co.uk
katie@animalminds.co.uk

________________________________________________________________________________________

References

Bradshaw, J. (1993) The True Nature of the Domestic Cat, CAB International, Bristol

Turner, D. and Bateson, P. (1995) The Domestic Cat: The Biology of Its Behaviour. Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom.

Horse Behaviour - Questions Answered

2010-04-15T00:36:00.000-07:00

Here I will keep feeding different questions and their answers to help all learn about their horses. If there are any particular questions that you have, just call or email me, I am always happy to help.

Please remember that practically all cases must be handled on a one-to-one basis, initially eliminating any medical causes. These snippets are here to give you an idea about the behavioural process.

"My 6 year old TB mare has been chewing and eating the fencing for the past few months. She only this behaviour since our first snowfall. Is this something to worry about? Do you have any idea why she might be doing this?"

As with all behaviours I would initially advise getting your mare fully checked out by your vet and equine dentist to eliminate any medical causes. With organic causes eliminated, we could then explore the behavioural element to this abnormal behaviour.

Commonly our domestic horses develop such patterns, termed as a stereotypie commonly known as a ‘stable vice’. I often see this kind of behaviour through my consulting work, whether the horse is stabled or not. It is most often caused by restrictions in the horses’ environment (1) Over sixty-five million years the horse has developed certain strategies to survive. Being domesticated for a relatively mere few thousand years, means that these well evolved instinctual drives are still present in the minds of our own horses. Our domestic horses still have these drives to roam with a large herd for 24 hours a day, to graze browse and forage for around 18 hours a day, they need to explore different sights, sounds, tastes and have the freedom to flee from dangerous situations (2) Often this is hard to replicate for us owners and our horses can become stressed as a result, adopting abnormal behaviours to cope with the restrictions that they face (3)

As you said, your mare adopted this coping strategy after your first snowfall. The snow must have been difficult in terms of your management routine and your mare would have noticed these changes, developing this behavioural pattern.

The easiest way to reduce such behaviours is through a simple enrichment programme, adding more choice, variety and freedom to behave as necessary. Think of the social stability that your horse has, does she have access to a herd for 24 hours a day? If you do stable her, would you be able to stable her companion next door? Are you able to increase stimulation, providing toys and objects to play and explore, a great example is to drop an apple in a water bucket for ‘apple bobbing’ or a swede on the floor for her to push around and eat as she chooses.

Looking inside the horses’ brain, there are certain chemicals working to cause feelings of satisfaction, depression, aggression and so on. To increase relaxation, encourage natural foraging behaviours by scattering hay on the floor, dropping carrots and other veggies amongst the hay for exploration and positive reward.

This is really brief so I would strongly recommend consulting with your local qualified equine behaviourist, someone who will work alongside your vet and only uses purely positive techniques to relieve underlying stress. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to ask at anytime.

Katie B Wade

www.animalminds.co.uk

References
1. Kiley-Worthington, M. (1987) The Behaviour of Horses: In Relation to Management and Training, J. A. Allen, United Kingdom
2. McDonnell, S. (2003) A Practical Field Guide to Horse Behaviour: The Equid Ethogram, The Blood Horse Inc., United States
3. Barnard, C. and Hurst, J. (1996) Welfare by Design: The Natural Selection of Welfare Criteria, Animal Welfare, Vol. 5, pp. 415-433

BIO

Katie B Wade is a fully qualified and experienced animal behaviourist, working alongside veterinary clinics, rescue centres, societies, breeders as well as individual owners to assist with various aspects of animal behaviour and training. With professional experience handling, training, breeding and rehabilitating the competition horse, Katie went on to study a degree in Psychology and then on to specialise in Equine Behaviour with The Natural Animal Centre. Katie provides scientifically sound advice to the general public, building a bridge between academic research and practical horse ownership.

Katie B Wade
katie@animalminds.co.uk
www.animalminds.co.uk

Current trends in the market - What do you think?

2010-03-30T02:16:00.000-07:00

I have just come back from an interesting CPD weekend. After a brilliant lecture by Steve from Rowden Dog's Trust, we discuss current trends in the marketplace and its impact on animal welfare.

As it was the Dug’s Trust we were specifically discussing the current training aids used within the canine market place. Thinking of a typical pet store, owners can purchase electric shock collar and fencing systems (thankfully not in Wales now http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/8584028.stm) as well as choke chains, muzzles, horns and sprays. There are so many choices, but with them comes little or no information on the potential effects of using each different tool, indeed there is not even very much information on how to use them effectively at all! NOTE: There is even the risk of frustration via improper use of clickers and food dispensers.

This topic heavily reflects the equine market too, with the changes in trends affecting the welfare and training of our horses, from boot types, spurs, bits, nosebands, to certain pressure-release tools, even clickers and food dispensers. Do the companies selling us these products provide owners with enough information to (a) use each tool effectively and (b) to fully understand the effects of each tool on their horses welfare?

I thought it would make an interesting topic and would love to hear your views!

Any questions just ask.

Take care

Katie

07841 517543
www.animalminds.co.uk

Nature v Nurture: The Case of the Nervous Cat

2010-02-24T02:10:00.000-08:00

Are some cats just born nervous? Can we teach them to relax around other cats of the household? Can we help anxious cats become confident? How do we ensure our cats grow-up to be well-adjusted, stress free and healthy? Well the ongoing nature/nurture debate can help provide the answers.

We are all born with the ability to feel anxious, it is indeed a survival mechanism to steer us from danger[1]. But why do our cats respond so differently to particular stressors?

We have all noticed that some cats are more timid than others when put in certain situations, some cats will struggle to get out of the hands of the vet, others will close their eyes and submit. Some behave aggressively when taken to a show, others hide away. We have witnessed some timid cats learning and developing over the years to become more confident, whereas others of the same lineage remain fearful.

Timid cats are at risk of a number of stress-related behavioural difficulties, affecting both health and welfare of that individual. Experts have correlated stress with urination around the home, over-grooming, eating disorders, aggression, depression, re-occurring infection and inflammation and maternal rejection[2]. So how can we avoid these potential difficulties? First we need to understand where the core issue lies.

The study of the genetics in reference to complex behaviours such as anxiety, has evolved dramatically from the old nature vs. nurture of the past century. Researchers highlight the importance of specific gene-environment interactions during critical periods in development and their role for the onset of stress-related behaviours in the later stages of life[3]. So although no single gene has been identified to account for these exaggerated arousal levels, it is acknowledged that nature plays a part in the onset of anxiety-related disorders, a predisposition rather than full cause[4].

The nurture element comes in to play during the development of the cat within our domestic environment. We regularly witness this as we see two littermates develop to adopt differing behavioural strategies to certain situations. These environmental elements to cats' developing anxiety-related behavioural issues, includes the age that they have been weaned, previous learning about humans and their world, being ‘overloaded’ with new learning, e.g. moving house, to name a few.

Environment is always an issue that I come across with my work and indeed is the simplest for us to alter to avoid behavioural problems with our cats. The feline has evolved to develop certain essential behaviours for survival. Our domestic cats maintain these behavioural needs, they have internal drives to eat a variety of meats little and often, to sleep for around 18 hours a day, to climb up to higher vantage points, hide or flee from danger, maintain social company, and so on, these behaviours are ‘hardwired’ deep inside the brain.

If these behaviours are restricted, just as we do, our cats suffer an element of stress. So to eliminate this factor we simply allow more natural eating patterns, i.e. eating little and often throughout the day, having meat to tear at, increased nesting sites for all cats of the household, scratching posts and horizontal scratching surfaces, hideaways, look out posts, access to the outdoors (even if only a pen to allow secure access) to get you started.

Due to the complexities of this topic this is all rather brief, but provides a good starting point. Please feel free to contact me for further reading suggestions, I am always happy to help.

Take care

Katie

07841 517543

www.animalminds.co.uk

References

[1] Cannon, W. (1929) Bodily changes in pain, hunger, fear and rage. New York, Appleton

[2] Landsberg, G., Hunthausen, W. And Ackerman (1997) Handbook of Behaviour Problems of the Dog and Cat, Elsevier Limited, United Kingdom

[3] Leonardo E. D. and and Hen, R (2006) Genetics of Affective and Anxiety Disorders, Annual Review of Psychology, Vol.57:, pp.117-137

[4] Donner, J. et al (2008) An Association Analysis of Murine Anxiety Genes in Humans Implicates Novel Candidate Genes for Anxiety Disorders, Biological Psychiatry, Vol.64, No.8, pp. 672-680

Making friends - how do our cats communicate?

2010-01-25T07:22:00.000-08:00

The domestic cat has had a longstanding reputation for being solitary and as a result has been required to live alone within many of our homes. An increasing body of research work has made it clear that our cats are actually HIGHLY SOCIABLE CREATURES. Whenever there are sufficient resources, the domestic cat will form close friendships for life, they are even known to nurse each others young!

Without fully understanding what will promote either friendly or aggressive behaviour, multi-cat households can bring with them a variety of behavioural problems, including aggression and conflict over resources, such as food, resting sites and litter boxes, or even in-house urination. An understanding of the natural social organisation, relationships and communication between cats is therefore essential.

The Social Feline and Communication

In the wild, colonies are based on blood relationships, set-up in resource-filled environments. These cats have been born and raised in natural conditions, learning the essential social skills for maintaining group harmony from their peers, to ensure optimal survival (1) .

Cats recognize members of their colonies vs strange cats, and as with all territorial species, unfamiliar cats are not allowed to suddenly approach anothers’ territory, instead they may be slowly integrated ithrough a gradual process, using scent communication to ‘introduce’ one another appropriately (2) .

1. Scratching
From the tree-dwelling Cimolestes living amongst the Dinosaurs 65 million years ago, the domestic cat has evolved and adapted to use its protractile claws as an adaptable tool for climbing, hunting, killing, eating, defence as well as communication (3) .

As fragments of claw and claw sheath are often found embedded within the vertical surfaces scratched upon, it has been assumed that the purpose of scratching is to maintain healthy claws. However if this was true, we would be regularly witnessing the cat scratch with its hind feet!

Scientific evidence suggests that these highly social animals use their claws to communicate to others both through sight and scent, the passing cat will not only see the scratches imbedded within the tree-trunk or gate-post, but he would also be able to smell the chemical messengers deposited from the sebaceous glands of the feet (4) . From this he will understand the age, gender and health of that cat, but he will also know how long ago that cat passed this area, thus avoiding confrontation.

2. Spraying
Spraying behaviour as part of the cats’ normal set of behaviours is another strategy used to maintain harmonious social structures amongst colonies. When patrolling the periphery of his territory, spraying in this way enables communication to any passing cats, mapping his territory and providing vital information about him self. As well as being extremely useful for avoiding confrontation, this behaviour helps with the mating process and regulates hunting behaviour within the area (5) .

3. Allorubbing
When two cats are familiar with one another, alongside other affiliative behaviours such as resting together, grooming, playing and so on, scent communication maintains its importance.

Colony members have been consistently seen allorubbing, whereby the cats rub up and down each other's sides. The head, sides and tail are all involved in this behaviour, which may go on for several minutes. As with most feline behaviours, there are many noted motivations to this behaviour, but alongside the tactile components to this behaviour, this intense facilitates exchange of scent, suggesting that familiar cats maintain a ‘colony smell’ (6) .

Managing Multi-Cat Households

Often in the domestic setting our cats come up against a range of issues and try to adapt accordingly.

1. One factor to look into when dealing with a multi-cat problem in your own home would refer to resources. Resource Holding Potential (7) is an important factor to take into account when many cats occupy smaller households, it is an evolutionary stable strategy, devised to maintain group harmony and therefore keep the colony alive and well.

Each cat learns that for every resource, every member of the colony has a certain position, giving them first, second, third, etc. refusal over each resource available within their environment. This way every member of can keep track of each other. They are also able to avoid competition and potential injury by understanding ‘her place’.

This differs to the commonly believed notion of ‘pecking order’ only observed in birds, as Resource Holding Potential status of each colony member differs for different resources. The cat does not work on domination, but on group harmony. Injuries however can occur when cats are under pressure in terms of resource.

Resources will include:
• Good quality, natural feeds
• Comfortable sleeping sites
• Space to move, explore and investigate
• Vigilance posts
• Scratching and Bunting posts

Things that have been found to de-stabilise Resource Holding Potential, include:
• Lack of resource quantity
• Lack of good quality resources
• Diminishing space
• Sickness or ill-health
• Changes in structure, where new relationships are encountered, Resource Holding Potential’s need to be re-established.

2. The second factor would concern individual cats’ behavioural issues, say an aggressive cat causing another cat to adopt nervous urinary patterns around the home.

This relates to the effects of previous learning within our domestic environment, i.e. has he or she associated any negative incidence around other cats, perhaps a neighbouring Tom with his own behavioural issues. If this is an element to a multi-cat household problem, a behaviourist working under veterinary referral should be called upon to provide a structured Behavioural Modification Programme.

Introducing New Cats

With use of all senses, and the understanding of the territorial nature of the cat, a detailed step-by-step approach should be taken when introducing any new member to the existing colony at all times. Not only will this knowledge ensure the happiness of each household member, but it will also reduce chances of aggressive encounters within the house, building solid foundations for good positive relationships.

To conclude, there are things that can be done both in the now when dealing with multi-cat behavioural issues such as aggression and/or in-house urination. However thinking of the future, there are also many things that breeders and owners can do to set our cats up appropriately in order to cope with the domestic environment, preventing such issues in the first incidence.

Due to the complexities of this topic this is relatively brief, but provides a good starting point for all. Please feel free to contact me for further advice or reading references, I am always happy to help.

Katie B Wade

www.animalminds.co.uk

References

1. Bradshaw, J. (1992) The Behaviour of the Domestic Cat, CAB International, Bristol
2. Macdonald, D. et al (1987) Social dynamics, nursing coalitions and infanticide among farm cats, Felis catus. Advances in Ethology, Vol. 28, pp.1–66
3, 6. Macdonald, D. (1992) The Velvet Claw: A Natural History of Carnivores, BBC Consumer Publishing, United Kingdom. pp. 10-75
4. Turner, D. and Bateson, P. (1995) The Domestic Cat: The Biology of Its Behaviour. Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom
5. Clutton-Brock, J. (1999) A Natural History of Domesticated Mammals. Cambridge University Press, United Kingdom
7. Bradshaw, J. (1993) The True Nature of the Domestic Cat, CAB International, Bristol, pp. 89-108

WHAT IS YOUR HORSE REALLY DOING ALL DAY?

2009-11-06T03:39:00.000-08:00

We all want our horses to develop with us, we want their brains to be sharp enough to take on all that we teach them. But is our management affecting the effectiveness of our training?

Much research has been done looking at the horses brain, how it develops and how horses learn. The circuits within their brain need to be stimulated in a positive way, they need to explore their environment, learn and develop every day.

But do our management practices impose in the development of our horses?

In an unrestricted environment, our horses would be ....

Grazing a variety of herbage and browsing and foraging for around 18 hours per 24 hour period.
Grooming and being groomed, with other horses on and off for 24 hours a day.
Playing with objects and other horses on and off for 24 hours a day.
Exploring their environment to learn and adapt to all that is around, throughout the 24 hour period.

With regards to sleeping behaviour, for the adult horse, studies have found that they will choose to be fully awake for around 20 hours out of each 24 hour period. The 4 hours remaining largely constitutes drowsing periods, with this prey species alert, only fully sleeping for around 2 hours, broken up into periods of sleeping for minutes at a time.

To Put This Into Practical Terms
Here is one example of a typical yard routine ...
7am hard feed in morning
9am turned out to graze
5pm returned to yard, groomed and ridden
6pm stabled overnight
7pm hard feed and haynet with 2/3 sections

What Does This Mean?
10 ½ hrs eating (15 min am feed/8hrs grazing/15 min pm feed, hay lasts max. 2 hrs)
20 mins grooming, tacking up
40 mins exercise

and then sleeping…
only 4 hours spent sleeping and drowsing on and off....

...so this accounts for 15 ½ hours – but there are 8 ½ hours with the horse in a stable with nothing to do.

Many researchers, across all species, have noted that when not stimulated, the brain does not develop as well as it should. if your horses brain is not as well developed as it could be, you will not be able to achieve as much as you would be able to.

So What Can We Do
The simple answer is turnout, as much as you can, if possible with other horses. There are Barn Management Systems that can be implemented to allow even the finest TB to be allowed 24 access to turnout throughout the winter months.

However we all know that sometimes this is not an option, and in that case there are some really simple enrichment ideas that can be brought into the stable, encouraging exploration and brain development. Here are a few to get you started...

Hang ‘kebabs’, throw carrots in loose hay and provide Swedes for exploration.
Hang branches in a corner of the stable. Add licks, carrots, slices of apple.
Allow companion horse to live next door.
Attach a door mat to the stable walls to enable self-grooming maintenance.
Provide different varieties of hay and herbage, scattered loose on the floor.
Produce a new variety of vegetable for each day of the week.
Scatter feeds as well as hay piles on the floor, amongst carrots and more
Explore a range of treats and lick-its

References
McDonnell, S. (2003) A Practical Field Guide to Horse Behaviour: The Equid Ethogram, The Blood Horse Inc., United States
Pavlov, I. P. (1927-1960) Conditional Reflexes, Dover Publications, New York
Rees, L. (1984) The Horse’s Mind, Stanley Paul Ltd., United Kingdom

BIO
Katie B Wade is a fully qualified and experienced animal behaviourist, working alongside veterinary clinics, rescue centres, societies, breeders as well as individual owners to assist with various aspects of animal behaviour and training. With professional experience handling, training, breeding and rehabilitating the competition horse, Katie went on to study a degree in Psychology and then on to specialise in Equine Behaviour with The Natural Animal Centre. Katie provides scientifically sound advice to the general public, building a bridge between academic research and practical horse ownership.

Katie B Wade
www.animalminds.co.uk

Separation Anxiety and your Pet

2009-09-18T00:43:00.000-07:00

Separation Anxiety and your Pet

Separation anxiety is a psychological condition in which an individual experiences heightened levels of anxiety regarding separation from others to whom the individual has a strong attachment to (1)

Separation anxiety is an enormous problem with the domestic animal, whether it is a prey species such as the horse or predators such as the dog and cat. It can lead to dangerous situations, re-homing and poor health and so needs to be resolved quickly and effectively with every species.

Before a problem can be fixed completely, it needs to be understood.

The Cat

Separation Anxiety is well recognised in dogs, but not so much when it comes to the cat. Contrary to popular belief, cats are also highly social creatures, instinctually living in large colonies, grooming, resting, playing and so on together…even nursing each others young! And again, where there is a lack of other cats to ‘befriend’ they will form strong bonds with people and with other animals to fill this innate desire for social contact.

The Dog

Looking at separation anxiety from your dogs’ perspective, the canine is a pack animal and the cat would and therefore a highly social creature. Instinctually relying on the pack to survive, finding food, water, reproducing, staying warm and safe and so on. Where there is a lack of other dogs to ‘befriend’ they will form strong bonds with people and with other animals to fill this innate desire for social contact.

The Horse

We all know that horses are a social species, designed to live in a herd. As their brains are ‘hardwired’ through millions of years of evolution telling them that staying with other horses is the way to survive, it is understandable that we come across problems when trying to ride our horses out alone. They too will accept even a sheep as a herd member as they are so in need of companionship for 24 hours a day.

In Both Cases…

Although much more research needs to be done in this area to understand the causes of separation anxiety in the domestic animal, there is evidence for both genetic and environmental factors to be involved. Being weaned early, moving yards or homes, previously being kennelled, sudden traumas or not being socialised (and this means to members of their own species) gradually and appropriately earlier in life are all common triggers.

This syndrome could be an important consideration for dealing with (2) …

- Excessive vocalisation
- Flight behaviours such as bolting, rearing, spinning and so on
- Panic Disorders
- Stable vices
- Destructive behaviour
- Inappropriate Urinating and House Soiling
- Self Mutilation and Over-Grooming
- Escaping
- Diarrhoea
- Loss Of Appetite
- Vomiting and Fabric Chewing

Prevention

Take action before any signs of anxiety develop.

1. Socialising your pet gradually and appropriately helps them to develop a broad ‘safety base’ and therefore cope better with changes during adulthood. PLEASE NOTE: This is not through common ‘puppy socialisation’ classes as this can cause heightened deep-set fear in many cases, please contact a positive behaviourist for details.

2. Maintaining a natural environment within the home, i.e. allowing appropriate exploration, exercise, eating, grooming and sleeping behaviours, as the animal would in the wild. This simple enrichment relieves restriction and therefore stress within the home, having calming affects deep within the body.

3. Keep the same routine as much as possible, allowing your pet to predict what will happen in his or her environment. This will maintain feelings of safety and help build a safe base to be able to cope with the domestic world more effectively.

Overcoming Separation Anxiety

Separation Anxiety is a deep-set behavioural problem and needs to be worked through gradually with a detailed understanding of the ethology of the species and underlying physiology involved. It takes time and unfortunately there is no quick answer.

Many veterinary surgeons prescribe anti-anxiety medications, which can be effective in the short-term, however long-term use brings with it severe side-effects to health and mind and therefore would never be an advisable option.

The Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Approach (3) is the most effective and indeed healthier option to take. Opting for a step-by-step method with a qualified animal behaviourist is the best way to ensure life-long success.

To give a brief example, although the treatment will depend on the species the severity of the problem and the individual, after ensuring that an appropriately enriched environment is set-up and anxiety is stabilised, you can begin to gradually expose your pet to brief separations.

After every brief separation, initially for only seconds, reward your pet through positive reinforcement to teach him or her that it is ok, in fact good, to be away for short periods. Little by little extend this separation time and distance spent apart, rewarding any signs of relaxation.

Be sure to stick with it and don’t expect any immediate results and make sure you receive detailed advice from a qualified behaviourist using positive reinforcement rather than punishment techniques.

For more detailed information and a step-by-step plan to guide you to success, please do not hesitate to contact me as I am always happy to help.

Katie

References

1.Bowlby, J. (1960) Separation Anxiety, Int. J. Psycho-Anal., 41, pp.89-113
2.Gittelman R, Klein DF. (1984) Relationship between separation anxiety and panic and agoraphobic disorders, Psychopathology. 17 Suppl 1, pp.56-65
3.Beck, A. (1976) Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders, International Universities Press, United States

BIO

Katie B Wade is a fully qualified and experienced animal behaviourist, working alongside veterinary clinics, rescue centres, societies, breeders as well as individual owners to assist with various aspects of animal behaviour and training. With professional experience handling, training, breeding and rehabilitating the competition horse, Katie went on to study a degree in Psychology and then on to specialise in Equine Behaviour with The Natural Animal Centre. Katie provides scientifically sound advice to the general public, building a bridge between academic research and practical horse ownership.

Katie B Wade
katie@animalminds.co.uk
www.animalminds.co.uk

Managing More Than One Cat

2009-07-16T02:49:00.000-07:00

As well as the vast range of vocalisation methods that we so frequently hear, the cat makes great use of their superior olfactory systems to communicate through scent deposition.

We can use these systems to our advantage within the home. Here is just a snippet...read on...

Scratching

From the tree-dwelling Cimolestes 65 million years ago, the domestic cat has evolved to use his claws as an adaptable tool for climbing, hunting, killing, eating, defence as well as communication.

Fragments of claw and claw sheath are often found embedded within the vertical surfaces scratched upon, causing experts to initially think that the purpose of scratching is to maintain healthy claws. However if this was true, we would be regularly witnessing the cat scratch with its hind feet too.

Instead these highly social animals are using their claws to communicate, the chemical messengers deposited from the sebaceous glands of the front paws into the fence post for example. The passing cat learns the age, gender and health of that depositing cat.

Spraying

Spraying behaviour is an overt display, with his tail quivering the cat will back up to a vertical surface, emitting a stream of urine. Developed over millions of years, the cat has learnt that when patrolling the periphery of his territory, spraying in this way enables communication to any passing cats, mapping his territory and providing vital information about him self. As well as being extremely useful for avoiding confrontation, this behaviour helps with the mating process and regulates hunting behaviour within the area.

Marking

Depositing small pools of urine, marking is an abnormal behaviour, not present within the cats’ normal repertoire of behaviours and is often triggered by changes in environment or restricted behavioural patterns, leading to stress.

How Will this Help?

With such complexities, many owners come up against problems with the management of multi-cat households or introducing new pets to your home.

Now that you can see how your cat communicates with others, you can use this to your advantage!

When introducing any new member to the existing colony a step-by-step approach should be taken every time, gradually introducing the scent of one cat to the other and vice versa. This is what would happen in the wild and so this is what their instincts tell them to do.

TOP TIP – Before introducing the cats face-to-face visually, introduce an old rag that smells of the other cat to each others area and make sure that they are happy at this level initially.

If two cats have already spent time living together but are aggressive, marking or generally unhappy in each others company, re-introducing them appropriately, using the cats own methods of communication, will go a long way.

For more detailed information and a step-by-step plan to guide you to success, please do not hesitate to contact me as I am always happy to help.

Katie

Instincts or Personality?

2009-06-08T03:41:00.001-07:00

I went to a show this Sunday and was approached by a wonderful lady who wanted to know how I could group horses together when analysing their behaviour, as surely each horse is an individual.

It is great that people are challenging and asking such questions as this is how we learn. I thought that my response might benefit others, so here goes...

Over millions of years the horse has evolved to behave in a certain way to survive and stay happy and healthy. Being domesticated by humans over a few thousand years, the horse has had a relatively short time to adapt to the radical changes from a herd animal on the plains to social isolation in a stable for example.

Just as our basic instincts have stuck with us from caveman times, these essential behaviours are 'hard wired' within the brains of our domestic horses, forming a ‘blueprint’ as to how they should react in certain situations.

Above these shared underlying drives, then lies personality. These secondary individual traits are shaped through the different experiences that our horses have, positive or negative.

To become a better horse owner, we must acknowledge that certain behaviours are essential to every horse that we meet. Although it is true that each horse is an individual on one level, we must always remember that every horse has these same basic instincts underlying and defining the way they act.

To maintain a positive and relaxed horse, we need to teach things in a gradual manner with no pressure and reinforcement of fear, if not he will react in one of four ways; flight, fiddle, freeze or fight depending on his personality - just as all humans would.

So, Instincts or personality?…In the end it comes down to both.

I don't expect people to 'just swallow what I say' so if you have any queries or comments please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best Wishes

Katie

BIRTH TO ADULTHOOD - THE EFFECTS OF WEANING

2009-05-28T07:36:00.000-07:00

Although there is a tremendous amount of behavioural research within the academic field, not a lot of it filters through to us owners to use in a practical way. Without this scientifically proven knowledge helping us to understand how our horses develop their behaviour appropriately, we are left to rely on magazines and common belief, benefitting neither us nor our horses in the long term.

Looking at local classified adverts I am extremely concerned about the foals that are offered for sale, now finding them ‘weaned and ready to go’ as young as three months. So here is a bit of information about weaning and the early experiences of the domestic horse to help you understand how your horse may develop behavioural problems from foal to adulthood.

Research into how humans learn initially began on animals being tested, from the mouse to the cat, the horse, pig, monkey and so on. Through these studies, evidence shows that we all start learning from within the womb right through to death, building either positive or negative associations between themselves and the objects, people or situations that they come across.

In the wild the young horse will not leave its mother until it has developed a full understanding of ‘how to be a horse’ and built up enough confidence to feel safe with the change into another part of the herd. This will not be until they are 2-3 years of age through an extremely gradual process.

With this new understanding we can therefore see how much stress we are putting on a foal of three months, tearing him from his dam, the safety figure, and flooding him with a range of new horses, people, routines, and so many more sights, sounds, tastes and smells.

Just because an animal is physically capable of living without protection does not mean it is mentally able to cope under such pressure, he is prone to colic and developing stable vices, severely lacking in social skills, and not open to learning as much as he would be able to.

Although there is much more to this area of equine behaviour, the underlying mechanisms within the body and indeed welfare, I hope that this is enough to start your new thinking through the eyes of your horses of any age. Remember that over 80% of domestic horses are weaned too soon, memories of which are held for life.

You may wish to challenge and query what I say which is great, start thinking and questioning all that you hear…”Does that make sense”… I am always happy to provide references to the original studies for all I write, just ask me.

Take Care

Katie

Horse Training - For True Understanding

2009-05-13T23:09:00.001-07:00

There are many unqualified behaviourists, trainers, whisperers and counsellors, using a range of training methods within the animal industry today. Unfortunately although heavily marketed as 'natural' and 'free' when we delve into the science behind many of the techniques used today we find a very different story.

Without a language that us humans can understand life becomes very difficult for domestic animals, in relation to both management and training. This is why a detailed understanding of ethology, learning theory and physiology are so important in our day-to -day interaction with our beloved companions.

Devoting my career to the improvement of the welfare and well-being of the domestic animal, I have found that the only truly 'ethical', 'natural' and 'free' approach to work in a gradual, STEP-BY-STEP manner using only POSITIVE REINFORCEMENT.

Used for years within the dog training field, positive reinforcement training (more commonly understood as clicker training) has been proven to be the most successful method, creating a tremedous motivation to engage with the task that has been set. However with our horses our society relies upon gadgets and punishment, nagging and even chasing around round-pens for hours to teach our horses about our expectations of them by way of fear and supression.

Scientists have shown for decades that any living being is more likely to learn behaviours that result in positive rewards rather than negative threat or worse. Clicker training uses a ‘POSITIVE-REINFORCEMENT-BASED SYSTEM OF TRAINING’ where the trainer provides a reward in exchange for a requested behaviour.

Developing confidence with the control they have over the consequences of their actions, your animal becomes motivated and enthusiastic due to their expectation for further pleasurable rewards. this makes learning faster and more effective as well as improving his outlook and well-being.

With an understanding of your horses needs in day-to-day management along with knowledge of positive reinforcement in training, you will be set up to win in every situation that you both encounter.

For more detail please do not hesitate to ask any thoughts, ideas or comments are welcomed.

**** SEE ME IN ACTION 13TH JUNE, OXFORD - ALL ARE WELCOME - ALL QUESTIONS ANSWERED - TO BOOK CONTACT 07841 517543 OR KATIE@ANIMALMINDS.CO.UK ****

Best Wishes

Katie

Cat Behaviour - Elimination in the Home

2009-05-08T07:23:00.000-07:00

Although elimination within the house can be explained in terms of NORMAL cat behaviour, such as ‘spraying’ due to hormonal changes, or as a result of a medical problem, one major causes of eliminating within the home is STRESS.

Spraying is part of the cats normal set of behaviours, an overt display where he or she backs up to a vertical surface, emitting a fine stream of urine, often with the tail quivering. This is a complex method of communication, secreting chemical messengers to convey important messages to other cats who may pass.

This behaviour although often occurring at higher frequency in Toms, is not completely dependant on sexual hormones. This is because the brain has a large influence on such behaviour, with 10% of males and 5% of females spraying even after neutering.

Whilst spraying is usually associated with a normal behaviour, it can still become abnormal as an anxiety based behaviour occurring as a result of either threatened or direct aggression from other cats.. For example, often occurring in multi-cat households, a cat will spray to communicate his desire not to confront or become involved in any conflict. Where anxiety does play a role in spraying social changes need to be fully assessed.

Marking is where puddles of urine are deposited behind furniture, or on objects. Although spraying behaviour is part of the cats' normal set of behaviours, marking is an indicator of abnormally high stress levels within the cat, communicating feeling of anxiety and insecurity.

Triggers of this marking behaviour ranges from new cats entering the home, to neighbouring cats intruding on your garden...or even bringing a pair of new shoes into your home! Cats are highly territorial and this needs to be kept in mind when we bring them in to our homes.

In each case, if you as the owner feels that there is a problem with your cat, it is vital that you consult with your vet and speak to a qualified animal behaviourist. Core issues must be identified and assessed to provide a life-long, drug free solution.

For help or advice, or just for a chat, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Best Wishes

Katie